NIH Audio File About the 2007 National Health Interview Survey

Dr. Josephine P. Briggs speaks about the results of the 2007 National Health Interview Survey. Listen to the NIH Audio MP3 File.

Transcript:

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INTRO: A new survey by the federal government finds that 38 percent of adults, and 12 percent of children are using complementary and alternative medicine, which includes health products and practices that aren't generally considered part of conventional medicine. Dr. Josephine Briggs, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, explains why.

BRIGGS: We found that many Americans are turning—in pursuit of better health—to practices like the use of herbs, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage and chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. These approaches are used for many health problems, most particularly for chronic pain. We are working hard to support research that will help us understand better the optimal role of complementary and alternative interventions. The data also highlight the importance of patients and doctors talking about complementary and alternative medicine use.

CLOSE: The findings were part of the National Health Interview Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit www.nccam.nih.gov.

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